Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-10
VERY PRECIOUS.

Il did rot give it to him! He stole IL OUT o.
mothers album. He did! he did! he did," The
Sneakers voice rose with each repetition, and hel
checks got redder and redder. ST must know bet
ter than you, ROsie!"
20 OF course; you do not call It giving, but do
You were standing by suppose, when he took It;
Your eyes were cast down, and you put your most
becoming pOut ONT And now that Tom Crichton,
with his ten thousand year, falls In love with
YOU and wants 10 marry you, you are afraid poor
GeOn Hamilton VIII show him your photograph
ana talk about your silly letters and make mis-
Chief You incorrigtble little airtI 1t would serve
you right to be treated you have treated others
Row many men have you made fools of, wonder?
4 dozen?"
The speaker spoke sarcasucally; her hearer was
beginning TO cry. The girls were sisters, both
young, both pretty and charming. but Lefty, the
younger, was a lovely, brainless little firt. The
elder ROsalind, had plenty OF brains, but scarcely
experience enough to enable her TO use them judi
ci0usly. She was brilliant creature 10 look at:
warn-hearted and impulsive TO fault. There was
nothing she would not do or dare for one she
loved, and she dearly loved her bewftching little
sister, and rejQiced with all her heart when the
genial. good-looking young squire Tom orlc len
session OF an unexpected inheritance, fell in love
AZ Grst sight With Lefty and proposed to her after
But Tom was a quick-tempered, Jealous young
fellow, and he had already spoken his mind 10
Miss Lefty about her love of irritation. She PROM
tsed 70 amend her ways, but It was more than she
could do 70 keep her promise when temptation
came in aluring guise.
gallant Dashshire Regimen Geoflrey Hamilton by
name. had quickley succumDed to the destinations
OF the younger or the two daughters OF the Wild
owed Mrs. Maitland, who lived In pretty cottage
on the London rOac, about half mile or so from
MlrefOrd. IL was In vain that ROsalind warned
the needless young cOquette that she vas treating
poor young Hamilton disgracefully. But in good
truth the young man was very Well able TO take
care OF himself. He was not very deeply wounded;
rf.f,T fhsaS
he made up his mind To punish Miss Lefty, If pos
Soie for her tricks by pretending to De Droken-
hearted and desperately jealous.
He was, however sufficiently In love to be able
70 put fair amount OF SERIOUSNESS into his re-
prOaches, and when lie fatty refused to give up
the photograph LettJ had given him, and one or
two absurd little notes she had written TO him,
and glove he had purlOined, the silly girl was
thoroughly frightened, and firmly persuaded that
"TOm"w hear all about it and break OF his
engagement. Had Rosalind but known how
slightly Hamilton's heart was touched She would
when the girl soiemniy assured her that GeoT
was 30 much in love, AMI SO angry and Jealous
that she knew he meant TO have his revenge the
sensible elder sister forgot that she was not living
In q melodramatic age, and, moreover, she quite
overlooked the fact that Hamilton, being gentle
man, 1t was not likely that he would act as II he
so, on the whole, things were looking very Sc
rious when, for the ftieth time at least, Rosalnd
tried 10 make her sister confess whether she had
given Geon her photograph, or whether he had
taken ii from Mrs. Maitland's album. She had her
own opinion on the subject; so IL was really waste
OF time 10 GIosS-queStion the naughty little girl,
who was anxious TO keep the peace between the
old love and the new.
u think you are very unkind. Rosie she said at
last; land II you do not believe me, how can eX-
pect Tom 70 do it,,
II DO not expect Tom to do It. You talk as If
believing In you were gymnaStic feat. i know
what should do In Toms place, If another man
told me he had a photograph OF the girl meant
TO marry, and gloves and things
lie mas only one glove and no thingS!' inter-
rupted Lefty, whimpering. Don't eXaggerate:
AID gave Tom two phOtOgraphs-one sitting and
one standing-and he has heaps and heaps OF let
Al hope the spelling is all right"
II hope so. be IS not much Of speller himself.
Mylad.l0red one IL looked so funny"
MI Hamilton is awty just now, is he not?"
Rosaiind asked presently.
"Yes. He went TO his sisters wedding wish
IL YVES 10 lis own"
~. ..lle does not live in barracks, 1 thinkev
NO; ne has rooms in Diamond Crescent No Is.
ard Gerard Townsend lives with him"
"H1 Is the woman-hating person who IS reading
1of something and never goes out? And
dored Tom? am going out for a walk"
And won't you advise me how 10 get back my
pImSesrapn? l WISH had not given 1t TO him.
al am afraid 1 did, sighed LEFTY. ssBut he
begged so hard, and said he had never cared
fore" W.
'-t'oor fellow. But he must give it I'D. Now 60
anu write Your letter" And Rosaiind ran out of
About an hour later young lady with a mack
li'psn on her arm knocked az the door OF 10 Dia-
I.cnd Crescent. She had evidently been walking
Were bright. WIS
.This IS awful" she said to herself. as she heard
steps approaching the door on the inside. civil
locking woman opened II.
.Are-are the gentlemen at homer" the visitor
asked. II mean-iS Mr.. Townsend at home?
aiil his sister, and he expects me- think"
20. walk ID, ma am. II you please. Mr.. Town.
send told me you We're not coming until to-mor-
- hT.r
ready Have you no luggage, maaln?"
Ie visitor muttered Something about the sta
ini0 the sittins-room." she saId II can wait for
this The rOoIn?"
Yes, ma'am- The gentlemen has this between
Yen Mt hamilton is coming back unexpected
ms evening. He was teiegraphad for as there is
so:Ee talk OF the regiment leaving at once"
''N h>.t l. that nOise?' the visitor asked
Rain. ma'am- It's thunder shower, I think.
IL always makes that noise the roof OF the YER
aiider. Us Wen you was under cover, ma'am."
Itosa1nd gave sigh OF relief as the door at last
closed behind the landlady. Now II BY a stroke
o. good fortune can commit my felony and get
away before-my brother comes in-what an ex-
treoruinafy thing that he should be expecting his
sister. suppose" (glancinE at a cabinet nilOtO-
sraph on the chlmneypiece) ''that is the man him
SELL Why, he must be forty at least, Now. i
wonder " mere Mr.. Geon keeps his treasures: In
drawer, OF course; but which drawer? do not
nan iLAe I1Innlag1ng among the poor mans DOS.
sessions, but he brought il on himself :.
she presently came upon d packet neatly tied I'D
WIN red riDpon and sealed She pinched it, III
evhtenIy contained q photograph. for she felt the
cardboard, aIt there was something soft that
might De glove; and surely those were withered
MOVERS that Cracked as she pressed them? and
the more lunpy enclosures must be letters Shoud
she unite the nODon and break the sea!9 Rut ttrnn
was passing, and there Was really no necessity
Then she turned the packet over and found an in
scripton that settled the question: In mans
writing were the words: LIS likeness and letters
Very precious"
"Poor Geon. Poor dear fellow, How devoteaIv
he loves her. am so sorry for him Very precious
be Calls them" Rosaliao murmrreC. "Rut
precious or not, must ROB min, of them: We can
not lose Tom wonder what Lefty viii say when
she sees them? Now, wish were safely out OF
th!s must write the tiniest scrap or a note and
le&'e IL lot poor dear tseoLr She closed the
nrawe-, put the packet in her pocket, and wrote
hastily on half sheet o. ,saper - sister has
Viii" - A'A'' Aei
She had just addressed the envelope when she
beard steps on the stairs; in another mccent the
door was opened and a handsome young Elsn came
II.
How awkvara!- thought RosaEnd. "But
Wac n the world Is he?"
i1f newcomer stood sin and stared at her She
wlStao pretJieSt girl he had seen for many a dav
Sise made him LITTLE bow. IL an. Mr Tow nsend,s
sister, sbe SAID land expec. him every moment: .
Et Goes not expect me until tomorrow. Did not
: lanolady tell you was here?"
She-Sne,-sAe dIdi' the young man gasped
Had, quite At her ease, a!thOasa she mad t,; been
T1boiDg drawer. 81 wonder :l YOU would mind
going 70 loOE Tor my brOther:' she est1 aIoud in
The sweetest manner. .sIt would IL. $50 very gind
IL 3 awkward 10 be here al alone wf;h-oaOul..
coming IN; She gave hiin d itSle s,AiIe 10 fnu.-